Radio toggle switch



NOV. 15., 1932. R H BENTLEY 1,887,573

RADIO ToGqLE swITcH Y A Filed July 20. 1931 Www Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. BENTLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T THE ARROW-HART & HEGEMAN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT RADIO TOGGLE SWITCH Application filed July 20,

This invention relates to snap switches. More particularly it relates to the type of snap switch in which the switching member is moved between open and closed circuit position by-compelling a spring member to move to one side or the other of a dead center position. Many switches of this type are now on the market, but so ar as is known, none of them are so compactly and simply made and move with such precision as my invention.

It is an object of my invention to provide a snap switch of the above type which may be more easily and cheaply constructed than prior switches of the like type, without sacril cing quality.

Another object of my invention is to provide a snap switch in which the switching member moves in between a pair of stationary contacts in the novel fashion, hereinafter described.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as it is described -in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of my new switch in closed circuit position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my new switch in open circuit position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of my inven- 30 tion secured to a panel.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the back of my new switch. y

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of my invention taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the switch mechanism is mounted in a casing 10 preferably made of molded insulating material, the casing being of more or less fiat shape so it can be conveniently secured to a panel 12. For this purpose holes are formed in the edges of the casing at spaced points as indicated at 14.

A pair of stationary contacts are secured within the casing at one end of the cavity 16 in which the switch mechanism moves. One of these contacts comprises a `resilient contact finger '18 of sheet metal, which is secured to the casing 10 by a rivet 2O passing through the casing to the back thereof and securing a terminal 22 to the casing and con- 1931. Serial 110,552,043.

necting it with the contact. This contact 18 has one end 24 turned up to facilitate the engagement therewith of a. movable switching member 26 which will be described hereinafter in detail. The other stationary contact comprises a round-headed rivet 25 which passes through the casing and secures a terminal 23 to the casing. This rivet Contact is placed directly beneath the free end 24 of the resilient contact 18.

The two ixed contacts are spaced apart by reason of the contact 25 being in the bottom of the casing and the contact 18 being secured to and projecting from a ledge in the casing,

'said ledge being made by countersinking a recess around the aperture through which the rivet 20 passes in holding the resilient contact 18. The edge of the count-ersunk recess is cut away at 32 to allow for the passage of the contact finger 18, the sides of the notch 32 preventing the contact from rotating in case the rivet 20 should become slightly loosened.

Oscillatable upon the inner surface of the casing bottom is an L-shaped switching member 26 which is pivoted loosely upon a rivet 28 passing through the bottom of the casing. The short leg 27 of the switching member extends perpendicularly to the bottom of the casing and has a lateral extension 29 which is adapted to pass between and engage with the stationary contacts 18 and 25.

To limit the amount of oscillatory movement of the switching member 26 lugs 59 and 60 are formed integrally with the bottom of the casing.

In order to move the switching member 26 with a snap action, an actuating assembly comprising a Hat fibrous insulating member 34 and a metallic member 36 are provided. The member 34 is pivotally mounted upon a ledge 35 of the casing by a rivet 33 passing loosely through a hole in the casing. The member 36 is a stamped, sheet metal part and lies upon member 34 and has two lingers 37, in diametrically opposite positions around the rivet 33, turned down into recesses in the fibre member 34, thus causing the libre member`to move whenever the metallic member 36 is moved. The rivet-33 also passes through the metallic member 36 and the end of the rivet is turned over on the member 36, causing the rivet to pivot with the member 36.

The fibre member 34 has a rounded extension 50 projecting therefrom and engaging with a concave head 52 on a rod 54 which passes through an aperture in the leg 27 of the switching member 26. A coil compression spring 58 surrounds the rod 54 and presses against the back of the head 52 and against the leg 27 of the switching member 26.

In order that the metallic member 36 may be moved by a conventional manual actuating member, parallel arms 40 are turned up at right angles from the member. Any type of manual actuating means may be used in connection with these turned up arms, but for the purposes of illustration I have shown a knob 42 on a shaft 44 passing through the panel 12 and having on its end a rectangular plate 46 equal in width to the distance between the two arms 40.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that rotation of the knob 42 will cause the `member 34 to be turned thus pressing the rod 52 through the aperture in the leg 27 of the switching member and compressing the spring 58. When the point of contact of the extension 50 with the head52 passes through the imaginary line between the rivet 33 and the rivet 28 i. e. dead center position, the switching member 26 will be compelled to move with a snap action from the position it had at that momentJto the other switching position, that is to say between open and closed position of the switch.

By reason of the rivet 33 loosely holding the switching member 26 the lateral extension 29 may ridev upon the rivet contact`25 and press against the resilient contact 18 without the necessity of accurately positioning these contacts with relation to one another and to the movable switching member. That is to say, if the rivet contact is a little high or low, the play permitted the movable contact member will allow that member to accommodate itself to the position of the stationary contacts. This is an important feature of the invention since it eliminates Athe necessity of accurately positioning the parts in the process of making the switch.

Another feature is the turning of the rivet SI5-within its hole as the actuating assembly l name to this Specification is rotated. This gives added precision to the switch because the hole may be moldedto the proper size to allow the rivet to turn in it as its bearing. Thus a larger'ibearing surface and a former bearing is provided than if the rivet were stationary and the assembly turned on it.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a simply constructed switch of a few parts which are easily constructed and many of which may be stamped from sheet metal or sheet insulation.

1. In a snap switch, a hollow insulating casing, a pivoted switching member, -said switching member being disengaged from all current carrying parts while the switch is in circuit-breaking position, a rivet loosely securing said switchingmember in the bottom of said casing, a rivet Contact havin a head projecting above the bottom of sai casing, a resilent metallic contact directly above said rivet, said switching member entering between and engaging with said rivet contact and resilient contact, and means for snapping said switching member between circuit-breaking and circuit making position, -said means comprising a pivoted actuator cooperating with a spring device which is movable through a dead center, said switching member remaining stationary until said spring device is moved through dead center position by said actuator.

2. In a snap switch'a hollow insulating casing, an L-shaped oscillatable switch member pivotally mounted in the bottom of said casing and engageable with -stationary switch contacts, a rod engaging with said switching member, a coil spring surrounding said rod and engaging therewith and with said switching member, in combination with pivotally mounted actuating means comprising an insulating member engageable with said rod and a metallic member secured to said insulating member and having parallel arms extending perpendicularly therefrom for engagement by a manual switch operating device.

3. In`a snap switch a hollow insulating casing, an oscillatable switch member -pivotally mounted in the bottom of said casing and engageable with stationary switch contacts, a rod engaging with said switching member, a coil spring surrounding said rod and engaging therewith and with said switching member, in combination with vactuating means comprising an insulating member engageable with said rod and a metallic member secured to said insulating member and having arms engageable by a manual switch o erating device, and a rivet secured to said metallic member and rotatable in a bearing hold in said casing. In testimony whereof I have signed my ROBERT H. BENTLEY. 

